Tina Kiel

Recent Posts

Businesses of all sizes, from small firms to large enterprises, are constantly in search of ways to increase employee productivity. And to that end, it is common for businesses to invest in technology, training, and various talent management initiatives to get their people to dig deeper, work smarter, and contribute a little (or in some cases a lot) more.

However, there is one very simple way that could measurably increase employee productivity literally within hours, yet is often overlooked because, well, it’s just TOO simple: raising the temperature during winter.

According to Sperling’s BestPlaces.net, not only is St. Louis (of course!) a best place to live and work, but it receives about 15 inches of snow each year. And while this is well below the 26 inches of snow that the average US city gets per year, as those of us who call this part of the country home know all too well, those 15 can come down fast and furious.

When it comes to planning an office relocation, your leadership team is likely focusing on aspects like space utilization, power and cooling systems, phone and computer cabling, and so on.

Naturally, all of these are critical pieces of your office relocation plan. However, there are other important issues as well. To ensure that you aren’t blindsided by something that should have been mapped out weeks or even months before, here are 5 important – yet sometimes overlooked -- things to keep in mind:

For a variety of reasons, office moves take place every day throughout the year – including holidays. For example, some businesses decide to change addresses because their lease is expiring, because they need to get closer to customers, because they’re current location is too big or too small, and the list goes on.

Generally however, there are relatively fewer office moves in the “dead of winter”. This is not necessarily because of the frigid temperatures, or potential for difficult road or weather conditions that result in the office move taking a little bit longer (we’re talking hours here, not days or weeks -- this is not Little House on the Prairie after all!). Rather, it is often because some businesses find it more efficient and practical to move when some of their employees are on vacation, and that usually happens in the summer months.

While it can be an exiting chapter in your business’s evolving story, the fact remains that an office relocation is a major step -- and one that, it goes without saying, you should not make lightly.

To help you make a smart and successful decision, the Precision team asked several of our customers about the issues they deemed the most important when they were considering an office relocation. Here are the top 4 factors they shared:

When it comes to an office relocation, many businesses focus on their new space and getting it ready for their employees, equipment, furniture, technology and so on. Obviously, all of this is necessary to ensure that the move is streamlined and efficient. However, there is another piece of the office relocation puzzle that is just as important, yet is often overlooked because it is not about the new space at all: it is about the soon-to-be old space.

Specifically, businesses need to have an office space decommission plan to ensure that they properly remove furniture, equipment, FFE, and other all items that aren’t making the move. Indeed, simply leaving them behind for the landlord or property manager is not an option. Businesses that neglect this aspect of their office relocation stand to lose their deposit, plus they may be liable for additional costs that could easily run into the thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars.

In the distant past, the notion of having a “safe and secure office move” typically referred to physical security; i.e. ensuring that furniture, equipment, and other assets were protected during the move to prevent theft or loss, or having a security team on patrol for evening or weekend moves to keep everyone safe.

However, while physical security is still a piece of the office move puzzle, these days there is another critical problem that all businesses must solve as part of their relocation: how to protect and secure sensitive data. Below, we highlight 3 best practices to achieve this essential objective.

Business owners and other executives are constantly looking for ways to improve results, strengthen the organization, and ultimately put it on track for sustained success and growth. And while there are several strategies and tactics to support these objectives, one of the most effective – perhaps surprisingly to some – is an office relocation.

Below, we highlight the 5 business benefits of an office relocation that can lead to lasting, measurable bottom-line rewards and benefits:

If there’s one word that you want to describe your business move, it’s smooth – because, really, doesn’t that say it all? Indeed, a smooth business move is successful, streamlined, stress-free, and satisfying. However, we’ve heard from countless people over the years that their business move was anything but smooth. On the contrary, it was chaotic, costly, confusing - and in some cases, catastrophic!To help you avoid that fate, here are 7 tips for a smooth business move:

As noted by Business.com: “Moving offices can kick-start a company into assessing the way it operates; it can motivate and encourage performance; alter the public, employee and customer perception of the business; and open up ways in which you can cut back on costs.”

But in order to reap these rewards, the office relocation itself must be smooth and successful – instead of stressful, costly and risky. To help make that happen, here are 5 keys to a successful business move:

1. Evaluate and Wisely Choose Your New Space

Before you start thinking about packing office supplies and moving furniture, invest quality time and resources to evaluate potential relocation options. You want to choose a space that is going to serve your current needs, as well as give you room to grow in the future.